I. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to towing apparatus, and in particular, to devices which enable one bicycle or the like to be towed by another bicycle in such manner that stability and control of the towed bicycle are maintained.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Several significant problems are presented in towing one bicycle, or the like, by another bicycle. These problems include a tendancy for the towing and towed bicycles to tip over, a tendancy for the towed bicycle to wander back and forth, rather than accurately tracking the towing bicycle, other difficulties in maneuverability and handling of the towed and towing bicycles and facilitating attachment of the towed bicycle.
In some devices known in the art, accurate tracking and maneuverability were provided by pulling the towed bicycle in an inverted position, with the towed bicycle having only its rear wheel on the ground. One device permitted the bicycle to be towed in an upright position, with only the front wheel on the ground, the front wheel being locked into a forward position. In all of these devices, however, the problem of stability was not a significant factor, since each of the towing vehicles had at least two rear wheels mounted at opposite ends of a rear axle. Under any normal operating circumstances, the towing vehicle was simply in no danger of being tipped over. Further, most of the towing vehicles, by their very nature, weighed significantly more than the towed bicycle.
By way of contrast, the present invention provides an apparatus for towing a bicycle or the like by another bicycle, that is, a vehicle which has only one rear wheel, as well as only one front wheel, and which is therefore inherently in danger of being tipped over. This is particularly true when the towing bicycle is subjected to the unfamiliar inertial forces caused by the towed bicycle.
The present invention utilizes a member attached over the rear wheel of the towing bicycle which serves as a platform. A hitch member is attached to the front stem of the towed bicycle, between the handlebars and the front wheel thereof, this being one of the strongest points on a bicycle frame. Finally, the hitch member and platform member are each pivotally and detachably connectable to one another by means of an intermediate member, which slideably rests on the platform member. The hitch member is disposed so that the towed bicycle is pulled in an inverted position, with only its rear wheel on the ground. The front wheel of the towed bicycle is placed in a fully reversed or rearward position, and clamped to the bicycle frame. This reduces the towed bicycle to the smallest overall dimension and provides additional room for the rider of the towing bicycle.
None of the devices known in the art have had to meet the problem of stability, particularly where the towing vehicle is another bicycle. The platform arrangement of the present invention provides this stability. The devices known in the art also fail to disclose an arrangement utilizing a pivotal and detachable intermediate member such as that in the present invention. None of the prior art devices, nor any combination of the prior art devices suggest the unique combination of features in the present invention, which include the use of an intermediate pivotal and detachable member mounted on a platform member, for stably towing a bicycle by another bicycle, with the towed bicycle being pulled in an inverted position, with only the rear wheel on the ground, and with the front wheel turned and clamped in its rearmost position.
The present invention, in overcoming the aforementioned problems, also serves to increase the convenience of using bicycles for more transportation needs. In a world where oil reserves are rapidly diminishing and gasoline prices are rapidly rising, any apparatus which multiplies the usefulness of bicycles represents a significant advance in energy conservation.
One of the most typical uses for an automobile is a local trip to "drop someone off" or "pick someone up." Such use is necessitated by the fact that means of transportation is either no longer needed or not available at the destination. Use of the present invention permits ordinary bicycles to be used for all such trips, in place of automobiles.
Use of the present invention can also supercede the use of automobiles, in many cases, in transporting bicycles to and from repair shops, as well as to one's home from any point of breakdown. Most automobiles are ill-suited for this use anyway, since few automobiles have large enough trunks or rear seats to safely or conveniently transport bicycles. Although bicycle racks for automobiles are becoming popular, they present vision hazards, and are not always secure at moderate speeds or on bumpy roads. Use of the present invention can reduce or eliminate the need to use automobiles for this purpose. Bicycles are less economical as means for energy conserving transportation if they must be continually transported by automobiles. The present invention also provides a significant boon to cyclists without easy access to automobiles, permitting broken bicycles, in many cases, to be towed by another bicycle, rather than being pushed or "walked."